Some movies are forgotten as soon as they come out and don’t stand the test of time. Whether they lack substance or memorable scenes, we see movies dissipating and never thought of again. The good ones remembered are glorified and often quoted, always being brought up as one of the greats. Taking it back to the beginning, this week, we look at one of the original films in hip hop culture.
“Juice” is one of those movies that just stick and remain relevant. The storyline focuses on four young men living in the city. Their daily agendas are shown and follow them as their petty life of crime ends up getting more intense and serious. Interactions with outside factors such as their families and the authorities also cause complexity throughout the movie.
Tupac Shakur, Omar Epps, Khalil Kain, and Jermaine Hopkins portray the four urban youths in the movie. Epps and Tupac playing memorable polarizing roles, as the protagonist and antagonist respectively, make this project entertaining and intense. Samuel L. Jackson plays a shop-owner in the film, rounding out the strong cast. Cameos in the film include the likes of Queen Latifah, EPMD, Fab Five Freddy, and Flex Alexander. For those interested in the soundtrack for the film, contributions from Naughty by Nature, Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, Cypress Hill, and Too Short are all provided, unquestionably making this a classic.
Ben Lester (bjams11)
